Purple Waffle Plant

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Here is one plant that is very easy to propagate and look very nice in a planter or as ground cover. Purple Waffle plants do very well in the open, even under the hot sun!

Although the flowers do not show up plentifully in my hot-weathered garden, I find that the leaves tend to curl up and look attractive with its unique colours and texture. And remember to keep the soil moist all the time!This plant, botanically known as Hemigraphis Exotica, can be grown in shaded areas too. It is native to India and Java, New Guinea, Southeast Asia and Australia.The leaves are dark green on the top and purple underneath while the flowers are white and small. As the plant gets lusher, the more attractive it becomes.

Purple Waffle plant survives very well here in our tropical climate. Hence, propagation is easy. Just cut one shoot and pin it into the soil and it will just grow and grow. When overgrown, just keep trimming and propagating!

Steph, I have this plant. It is growing wild in my garden. I love the tiny purple flowers that open in the mornings. This plant can survive any condition, light or shade, moist or dry. Very hardy but now I'm having some hard time pulling them off when they overwhelm certain areas of my garden. However, a neightbour also loves this plant and requested some from me.

Bangchik, not that I know of. Should be not edible. Today is Sunday... so good to go jalan-jalan he he.

Autumnbelle, my neighbour also requested some from me! I think the plant tend to look quite attractive from far. That's why they requested ;-)

Sandy, I agree! It does look like those purple lettuce ;-)

Lynn, ajuga grows very well here too. Once I saw ajuga covering about one third of a garden ground... it was awesome... bronzy purple... so unique also.

Kanak, at one time I was only eyeing for plants that have purple or red leaves. That's how I ended up with this plant ;-) But I didn't realise that it is so easy to propagate and fast growing. If I knew that, I would have only purchase one plant instead of two for this planter.

Here I wrote a long comment and then I managed to push some buttom. Urk!! I know Ajuga but this one i special. With that little innocent white flower, magnificent. Red-green colours and shape, perhaps in a pot?? inside?

Debborah, Vuejardin, Sarah, Mia, by right this plant should have plenty of white flowers. Then, it would make the planter/pot look prettier. I think my garden is just too hot for the plant to be in full bloom :-(

Prospero, it is not like Dollarweed that will grow onto the next pot. Purple waffle will just grow lusher and overflow the pot. But I am not sure if the behaviour would change if this plant would to be planted onto the ground.

It's very attractive, and I can see why it's called "waffle" plant. I've seen something similar before, though maybe not the exact plant. The white flower is quite a nice contrast against the purple leaf. How's your sweet potato vine?

Hello, I wanted to let you know a great use for purple waffle. I use it in my aquariums as a temporary decorative plan. It will last about a month under water. It wont bloom underwater but it will remain attractive for a long time. Fish dont seem to like the taste of it so they tend to leave it alone, sometimes my larger fish will swim by and grab in their mouth and pull it out of the gravel. No harm done, just replant. I have alot growing in a big planter in my kitchen window. I love this plant. It looks good under water, really adds some color to a tank. If you have a bunch and you have a tank or a friend with a tank, they would think it was awesome if you gave them a few snippings to plant in their fish tank.

I have two hemigraphis, one as pictured and one which is much lighter in color. The darker one is happy but right next to it the one which is pale purple and mottled green is turning brown and "crispy" or becoming limp and wilting and dying. Do you have any advice what could be the problem? Also, no evidence of fungal or pests.

The good news is that the soil has not dried out ever. It may be my fault since the leaves looked "burnt" I removed it away from the sun, do you see these growing in full sun or indirect light? Since the one which is colored the same as the one you have pictured, this lighter one which is mottled lavender to white and pale green, may simply not be as hardy as the classic "purple waffle". Thank you for your reply, glad to have found this site!

I have been growing mine in full sun and never in indirect light. It could be the frost that made that one mottled to lavender, white and pale green, and also lack of sunlight. Keeping fingers crossed for you for that classic coloured one :-)

Subscribe To

Some of you have left messages enquiring about plants featured on my blog. Many of these are actually not easily available in Malaysia. Perhaps that's why you were asking! Anyway drop me an email at mygreenfinder[at]hotmail.com :)